Digital Byte #68: Talent Alone is Not Enough

December 9th, 2025

One of the hardest hiring lessons to learn is this: talent alone is not enough.

On paper, someone can check every box. The portfolio, the certifications, the confidence in their abilities. You look at their experience and think, “finally, someone who can take this off my plate”. But then the work begins, and you realize something much more important is missing.

Values.

Years back, we brought someone onto our team who had all the experience and skills to do great work. But the way they approached decisions, communication, and responsibility did not match the way we operate. It was not a lack of talent. It was a misalignment.

That experience was a reminder. Culture must come before experience.

Skills can be taught, especially inside a business with strong systems and mentorship. Values are foundational. When values are off, everything becomes harder than it needs to be.

You start spending more energy managing than leading.
You hesitate to delegate.
You second-guess decisions that should feel instinctive.

Misalignment creates friction and friction slows growth.

When someone aligns with your standards, how you treat clients, how you problem solve, how you show up for the vision, they do not just complete tasks. They build the company with you. They take initiative. They view challenges as opportunities. They care about the outcome as much as you do.

If you are hiring or restructuring, ask a different first question:

Do they believe what we believe?

If the answer is yes, the lack of experience can be learned. The right person can grow faster than any resume ever suggests. The wrong person can cost you far more than a single hiring mistake. They can cost you momentum.

Hire the person who has the ability and desire to learn. Hire the one who sees the world in a way that supports the future you are building.

Stay inspired,

Sydney Addis